


Thoughts on pastries

by Luckythirteen45



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Angst, Gen, M/M, Pre-Slash, not sure how to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-05 14:02:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13389321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luckythirteen45/pseuds/Luckythirteen45
Summary: Talking to a couple of people on discord sparked this idea, the development of John and Harold's pastry habit. Gen/pre-slash through most of it but Rinch definitely in the end.(Minor edits and grammar fixes)





	Thoughts on pastries

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so this is my first ever published story I welcome feedback and thanks to Aragarna, ace of spades, and lunacorvid for the chat that sparked this story!

It started with Sencha green tea, and evolved from there. As Mr. Reese and Finch got closer and closer as days and numbers passed after that first cup of tea. Reese started to show up earlier and earlier at the library, he always had a cup of Sencha green tea with him for his employer. Finch no longer had to call Mr. Reese when they had a number he was usually at the library the same time as Harold cup of tea and a coffee for himself in hand. Harold had gotten used to grabbing breakfast before he showed up at the library but now he wasn’t able to go out and grab a pastry while waiting for Reese, since he was already there, usually reading when no number had presented itself first thing or cleaning his guns. 

So, after Mr. Reese and Finch started showing up at the same time, Reese showed up with a box in one hand and a drink carrier in the other one day. Once they settled into the library as they had no new number at the moment, Finch asked about the box. Reese smirked saying that it was only breakfast and Harold was more than welcome to join in if he wanted some. He opened the box of doughnuts grabbing two for himself and his coffee went to sit in his usual spot to pick up where he left off in his book and enjoy his breakfast. 

Harold just stared at Reese for a minute before looking back to the box sitting next to his usual cup of Sencha. Pulling the first the cup and then the pastry box over to himself, Harold looked inside. There were 10 assorted doughnuts all different inside, looking back at John, Harold noticed he had grabbed the only two plain glazed in the box. “Really Mr. Reese, is this ploy,” Harold said still looking in the box

“No this is breakfast, since you won’t tell me what you like I got one of everything” John said trying to keep the smile out of his voice.  
Harold shot him a glare then decided that Reese knowing what kind of doughnut he preferred wasn’t exactly the end of the world and choose the strawberry iced doughnut out of the box, then going back for the crème filled with chocolate icing.

The next day Reese and Finch arrived at the same time again, and once again Mr. Reese was holding a pastry box and a drink holder. As the where walking into the library Harold had to ask about this new habit. John simply said, “Since we are both here so early we might as well have breakfast while we discuss the number or wait for one.”  
Not able to find any logical reason refute that Harold let it go and opened the box that John had set on his desk. Today instead of doughnut was an assortment of pastries from a fancy bakery a few blocks from the library. Harold selected a chocolate croissant and cherry Danish from the assortment and sat at his desk to pull up the information on their latest number. John grabbed a plain croissant from the box and started asking questions about the number.

Time continued to march on and more numbers where saved, John continued to bring in pastries for breakfast, numbers permitting. After John was shot by Snow and was recovering/working Trask’s number Finch brought the pastries. Though the day John could walk without a crutch he was back to bringing in tea, coffee, and breakfast for them both. By the time Root showed up to kidnap Harold, this tradition had been going on for months. After Reese got Finch back from Root, he would bring not only breakfast but lunch and if he could dinner since Harold was reluctant to leave the library. 

By this time John had learned most of Harold’s preferred pastry items and tried to find the best places in town to get them. Though after Harold’s kidnapping from Root some new items made there way into the rotation of treats John brought to the library. Still warm apple popovers, blueberry muffins, orange scones, and some of the best chocolate croissants that Harold had ever had outside of Paris. John refused to reveal just where he had gotten the desserts. Finch was desperate to find out as each new item quickly became a new favorite and he wanted the ability to get them at his leisure.

John’s stubbornness won out and Harold started surveilling him again like he had in the beginning trying to find just exactly John was getting these wonderful pastries from. This lead to some very interesting routes to work for John for the next two months until he was caught in the bank by Agent Donnelly. A few days after the ordeal John showed up with the box from the mystery place and asked that Harold let it go and let him have this one secret about where he was actually getting the pastries from. Harold relented though occasionally if there was a break in the numbers (which is when the mystery pastries tended to show up) Harold still would try to catch a peak of where John was going to get them. Usually resulting in John noticing the cameras moving then suddenly altering his route, and on one memorable occasion this alteration had John cut through a hedge. When John arrived at the library box unharmed but leaves in his hair, Harold decided to truly let it go if John was willing to muscle through a hedge just to throw him off.

When the machine had stopped giving them numbers for a time the box with mystery pastries showed up more frequently and when the numbers returned the pastries once again decreased in frequency. Shaw became a fixture of the team and in the library, though there was a week when Mr. Reese and Shaw were quite tense with one another.  
Shaw had discovered John’s secret about the mystery box and the desserts inside it. It didn’t come from any shop in the city, it came from Reese’s own kitchen. Nights when he couldn’t sleep or was able to get up early John was baking these delicacies. Having learned Harold’s taste from bringing him breakfast for so many months he perfected many of Harold’s favorites. After his birthday and Harold’s gift of his loft apartment with it’s beautiful kitchen, John picked up a habit from long ago and started to bake. Things were so tense because John was trying desperately to make sure Shaw didn’t tell Harold just exactly where the desserts were coming from. John managed to bribe her to keep quite by presenting her with a Ranginak (a Persian dessert) and telling her he would make her whatever she wanted once a month. The deal was struck and they both stuck to it till John’s death.

The separation by Samaritan happened and John stopped baking till he reunited with Harold. Finch having made a comment about not being able to indulge as much anymore was more than surprised when the mystery box of pastries was on his desk in the subway a few days later, he was furious. The lecture he gave John on safety would have made even his most uninterested students pay attention. John payed no heed to the warnings since he knew he was safe in that regard, no one would recognize him in the ‘shop’ he was going to.  
The mystery box would show up at least once a month and would on his desk no matter how much he huffed, yelled, or lectured John on safety. Though he was touched John would go to so much trouble for him and was in a better mood for at least two days afterward.

Harold after the final show down between the machine and Samaritan and after getting treatment for his gun shot wound stayed in New York. Mainly to help tie up any loose ends before he left and returned to Grace. He missed John terribly and in between tasks would spend his free time looking for the place John got those pastries from. He desperately wanted the comfort and closeness to his friend that they would bring. In the two months it took to wrap up Whistler’s identify and help the machine back on her feet without letting the Detective or Ms. Shaw know he was still alive, and he still wasn’t able to find the shop. 

The last thing Harold had to do before leaving New York was cleanout John’s apartment. He couldn’t risk someone else going through it and finding anything they shouldn’t (guns, explosives, various armaments). He had been putting it off not able to bare going through John’s things. Finally, Harold couldn’t put it off any longer and he headed to Riley’s apartment. The place was small and sparsely decorated, mainly just the essential pieces of furniture. Harold decided to start in the kitchen no able yet to venture yet to the bedroom where John most likely kept the more personal items. Harold wouldn’t be able to look at his suits yet.

Starting with the fridge and freezer he cleaned out all the expired food to make sure John had hid nothing within the appliance. It was disgusting but helped distracted Harold. Next, he moved onto the cabinets placing pots, pans, plate ware, and a surprising amount of bakeware into boxes to be either donated to homeless shelters or kept. While cleaning out the drawers Harold stumbled across a small spiral bound notebook. Opening it he started to read, finding it contained hand written recipes. Not only where all the recipes in John’s handwriting, but thumbing through the notebook he realized that every recipe in the notebook had at one point or another been in the mystery box of pastries.

Harold’s eyes started to sting at the corner of each recipe was a 1,2,3,4, or 5. John had ranked the recipes based on Harold’s preferences. He backed up till in hit something solid then slowly and painfully slid to the floor clutching the notebook to his chest. John did all this for him, he would have had to get up so early for some of these recipes, he started to sob. The mystery pastries had shown up with more frequency right before the final show down.

John had known that he would most like not make it out of the fight alive and wouldn’t let Harold sideline him, so he had done the only thing he could to show his affection before he was gone. There was something else in the note book as well. An envelope with Harold written on the front.

Hey Harold,  
If your reading this I didn’t make it out of the fight with Samaritan. I’m sorry, I’m sure this isn’t what you wanted. But Harold if I go out like I think I’m going to, it was my choice and I wanted to protect you. You are someone the world can’t afford to lose. When we first met no one had shown me very much kindness in a long time. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop but it never did you were exactly want you presented as a good man and for some reason you cared about me as a person. I wasn’t sure what to do with that information, so I tried to take care of you the best I could. I wrote down all the recipes for the “mystery pastries”, I’ve marked your favorites too. Please don’t let grief destroy you Harold, not for me. Go back to Grace get that happy ending that you deserve, and before you protest yes you deserve to be happy. I’m sorry I’m not there to see it, stay safe Harold.

Love,  
John

Harold was crying so hard at the end of the letter his glasses were completely fogged over. He stayed on the floor for a long time just hugging the letter and notebook. Eventually he pulled himself together. John had given him a purpose, be happy and he was going to do his damnest to fulfil it. He loved John but wouldn’t let his sacrifice be in vain. He would be happy for both of them, just like he would now live for both of them. First, he would finish cleaning out the apartment, there would be more tears and breakdowns but by the end of it he would feel marginally better. Next, he would go back to Grace and explain everything that happened and hope she would take him back. Finally, he would spend the next however long it took perfecting the recipes till they tasted just like John’s, living and being happy.


End file.
